Working Together in Room ___

Hang a large sheet of butcher paper on a chalkboard or bulletin board. Write your name on the paper in a fun way; for example, you might use bubble letters, write your name in a circle, or use star shapes to form the letters. As students enter the classroom, have them select a marker and sign their names on the paper "in a fun way." When everyone has signed the paper, remove it from the wall and start ripping it into sections around each name. Toss the sections on the floor. The number of sections should equal the number of students and teacher. Students will probably look at you as if you are nuts! Then instruct students to choose one of the ripped sections. Gather in an open area where you have arranged plenty of scotch tape dispensers. Tell students it is their job to put the pieces back together. Hang the taped-together wall chart under the heading Working Together in Room 103. Start a discussion about how each student is an important part of the class and how the class is like a team that won't function if everybody does not do their part. The wall hanging will serve as a year-long reminder of that lesson!
Lori Napoli